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Good Pharmacy Practice – It solves the Problems of Moving Forward
Pharmacy Practice is undergoing a review process in Australia because the primary source of income (the PBS) for community pharmacy has reached the end of its life-cycle. The future of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme indeed looks bleak so re-modelling of dispensing services is unavoidable. Many aspects of Australian pharmacy practice have been one of the best…
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Education – Bring it on!
I continue to be amazed at the options available to give better results to our patients. No more is this evident in the area of complementary medicines. Young pharmacists to whom I speak give me the impression that complementary medicines are unproven, unprofessional and almost “beneath” them from a patient care perspective. What they are…
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Asthma Perceptions
I know that we’ve come out smelling of roses in the ethics survey this week, but our role in managing inhaler technique in asthma is under a cloud. 90 % or so of people with asthma don’t use their inhalers correctly, according to research released by the National Asthma Council. I don’t believe that this…
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Four trends that will drive future health policy – PGA analysis
A recent bulletin was issued by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia (PGA) that gave an insight into the thinking behind the 7CPA preparation that will commence shortly. i2P thought that this would be an excellent point in time to contribute comment in a constructive manner. Hopefully a “think-tank” process may evolve where input can be…
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The Value Of Free Pharmacy Consultations.
There is nothing as frustrating as a patient asking for a pharmacists advice to then walk out empty handed as though all you had said was worthless. In an industry where time and profits have become scarce, pharmacists don’t need the extra waste of time if their is no direct sale. After all, many pharmacists…
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Your Dispensary – Core Business Could Evaporate
This year will be “crunch time” for most community pharmacies who have not yet decided on adopting disruptive technologies as a means of improving the “bottom line” of their pharmacy. I am thinking specifically the decision to purchase a robotic dispensing machine. It is almost a “no-brainer”. Robotic dispensing equipment has been available to pharmacy…
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Boots Accused of Profiteering Over Professionalism
Boots has been accused of boosting its profits by forcing staff to abuse an NHS scheme intended to help sick patients. Managers at Britain’s biggest pharmacy chain were found to be directing their pharmacists to provide medicine-use reviews (MUR’s) to patients who didn’t need them, in order to claim public money from the NHS. The NHS…
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Low dose aspirin – pro or con?
The US Preventative Services Task Force now recommends that all 50 to 70 year olds take a low-dose aspirin for preventing cardiovascular disease. Medical press last week gave this story legs, and I’m puzzled as to why? Current Australian Heart Foundation guidelines reflect the position that there are no or minimal cardiovascular benefits. In fact,…
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Fast Food Leading the way – Annihilate Dispensing or Enhance it?
The fast food industry is rapidly moving to replace employees with robots to eliminate payroll, health benefits and human unreliability. It will prove to be a template for pharmacy evolution and it’s under way right now. Also, it’s very likely that, within your professional lifetime, you’re going to see a huge revolution in robotics. It…
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Nissan Foresees Offices Powered by Electric Cars – We see Electric Cars Becoming Offices Occupied by Digital Nomads
Electric vehicles have potential to change the way we live beyond transportation. No longer a question of ‘if,’ but a matter of ‘when,’ electric vehicles are already changing the status quo of transportation. And they will have a niche within pharmacy. We’re at the beginning of one of the few times in human history where…